April 2009
by DateMe
Summary: Entries for the fanfiction section of the April contest. Entries listed in order of submission. Challenge: Greener Pastures, Pairing: LeeHina.
1. Green Is Not Ugly by nuriiko

**Title:** Green Is Not Ugly  
**Author:** nuriiko  
**Rating:** PG ( K+ )  
**Challenge:** Greener Pastures  
**Pairing:** LeeHina

We ask that you PLEASE refrain from reviewing this story here. If you would like to do so, the original is posted in nuriiko's personal DeviantArt profile.

Greens are not that ugly

Hinata stepped into the room filled with students in costumes. It wasn't Halloween but the school had decided to run a fund rising for the Konoha Orphanage by organizing a fun fair, which is yet to open in another hour. There were plenty of booths for games and handicrafts in the open fields; mazes and 'House of Horror' in the classrooms and the orphanage cafeteria was turn into a nice warm ambiance of a café. And since those involved had requested not to wear school uniforms or any sort of standard, boring uniforms for all that matter, it was decided that, they'd play dress up.

She walked up to her friends who were in some sort of argument because; Lee was now standing on the table stamping on his foot while screaming that 'Green is the color of youth!' before they started to argue again. She was already in the noisy crowd and she really couldn't understand how her friends could even argue about colors. She looked up at the fuming friend of hers, in green suit and green spandex, and she smiled kindly at him. It really is predictable for Lee to wear something of that color.

"Hinata. Tell him that green is ugly." Kiba nudged at her.

She looked at her friend who was dressed as a vampire, most likely because of his natural fangs. But she could not agree with 'Green is Ugly' because she loves gardening, which meant that she loves plants and plants are mostly green. And Sakura's eyes are green. Emerald actually, but green still. She turned to the other boy and gave him an apologetic smile. "Lee-kun. What are you suppose to be?"

Lee took of his hat and gave her a bow. "I my lady, is Robin Hood. The prince of thief." And he took her hands and kissed it gently.

She blushed but gave him a bow nonetheless, then slowly stood up. "I do think it fits you." She really do think so. She could not really imagine him other than in green, it would seem that a part of him is missing if he were to be in other colors.

"Really?!" the excitement in his voice was undeniable. "Arigatou Hinata! You know, I did have difficulty, about choosing becoming the Green Goblin, Robin Hood or even as The Swamp Thing" He was sitting cross-leg on the table, eye-leveled to her, fingers on his chin, eyebrows furrowed. "But than I decided that Robin Hood help the poor! Oh and TenTen is Mariam"

Hinata simply nodded. "Demo, Hinata..." Lee trailed. "What are you suppose to be?" he was pointing at her black cloak, which covered her from head to toe.

"Ano...are you little red riding hood?" Naruto asked. "Because I am a fox. Although I don't really like being the big bad fox." He received a hit from Sakura on the head who was dress in black-suit with a 'X' symbol on the right chest. Hinata quickly managed to figure that Sakura was dressed as Jean Grey in X-men.

"Baka! It's Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf."

"But really Hinata, what are you suppose to be?" Ino piped in, dressed as Emma Frost in white corset, white ankle length booths, with white hood. What better character to choose when it has always been friendly rivalry between Sakura and Ino. And she was wondering if Sasuke were horribly forced - by the two girls - to be Cyclops but found that Shino took up the role instead. She glanced at the heartthrob of Konoha High, who looked rather annoyed, dressed as Mamoru in Sailormoon in it's prince battle outfit. She looked away biting her lips. She was trying hard not to laugh, because she could not imagine that Sasuke of all people watched Sailormoon.

"Neh! Neh! Hinata-chan! What are you suppose to be?" Naruto, with his fox mask on, was jumping up and down, his nine-tail follow suit - a famous legendary folklore.

"Chet! Troublesome!" Shikamaru had just entered the class in his Samurai attire and Chouji was standing next to him, munching chips, dressed as a Chef. Chouji loves food as much as he loves life, and it was practical of him to be in the outfit since he choose to run one of the stalls in the cafe'.

"Hinata, you still have not told us." Kiba voiced.

She took off her hood to revealed a band of flowers - red, violet, orange and white - on her head.

"A flowergirl!" Ino squeeled. "How sweet!"

"Well, no. not really." Hinata wondered why she never thought of becoming a flower girl - It just didn't cross her mind! She untied the knot of her cloak and let it slid off her shoulders before it fell to the floor. Maybe she had overdone it, being too dramatic to have done that but isn't that what heroes or super villains did in the movies.

"Holy shi-!" Kiba crashed onto the floor with the chair that he was rocking on. Everyone was quiet. Ino and Sakura eyes went wide. Chouji stopped munching his chips. Naruto was blushing. Shino stared up the ceilings with arms crossed. Sasuke had his eyebrow raised before giving a smirk and looked away. TenTen had a worried expression while Lee was grinning. Shikamaru gave a deep sigh and massaging the bridge of his nose as he muttered 'Trouble'.

Surely her outfit wasn't that awful. Well, it probably is because Neji had burst into the room screaming "Hinata! What are you wearing!"

"Let me help. Poison Ivy from Batman." Shikamaru said.

Hinata merely smiled, nodded and blushed while she played with her fingers. Maybe her hair color wasn't red like how Poison Ivy should, but that was why she placed some flowers on her hair. She could have taken up other characters, but she couldn't get anything quite right for her size. And she couldn't get those mascot costumes either for it'd be too hot, too big and impractical to be wearing that when she have to tend the stalls and flowers. After all, Poison Ivy and plants - it was the perfect costume.

"Hinata. Please put your cloak back on. You look-" Neji frowned, thinking of a word that would describe Hinata. "You look-"

"Babelicious!" Ino helped.

"Yes! Unbelievably sexy. Who would have thought you had a figure to kill!" Sakura chimed in.

"Yeah. Hot!" Kiba added, earning a glare from Neji.

"Actually." Sasuke who had been quiet voiced up. "I think it's interesting." The girls stared at him and he simply dismissed it with a shrugged. It was his first ever nice comment for a girl.

"And she's in green!" Lee exclaimed excitedly! "So Hinata thinks that green is not ugly." The crowd groaned but after seeing Hinata in a mixture of mostly green with some orange, they couldn't really argue with it because apparently, Hinata looked great on it.

"Hinata." Neji called to her again, as he picked up her cloak. "Please put this on." But Hinata insisted that, it'd be too hot to be worn outside, and will give her difficulty with her movement when she work with the flowers and plants. Finally, Neji gave in to Hinata and allowed her to wear her costume only in the premises of the Orphanage.

It was few more minutes before the teacher came in when Lee whispered to Hinata. "I invented a new flavor of ice cream." Hinata just remembered that Lee would be tending the ice cream stall in the cafeteria "It's Green Tea. Would you like to have some later?" He asked. She gave a firm nod and looked at her other friends, a quiet question given to Lee, of why he only invited her. "I doubt they like anything green." was his only reply.

I know Green Tea Ice Cream, has been invented. Never tried it thou. But just for the story...


	2. Green Pyjamas by kezia12345

**Title:** Green Pyjamas  
**Author:** kezia12345  
**Rating:** PG ( K+ )  
**Challenge:** Greener Pastures  
**Pairing:** LeeHina

We ask that you PLEASE refrain from reviewing this story here. If you would like to do so, the original is posted in kezia12345's personal DeviantArt profile.

"Gnngh," Lee grunted as he woke up for the tenth time that hour. "Kuso," He knew he wasn't going to get any sleep at this rate. He sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes on the flannel sleeve of his pastel green pyjamas. "I need something to eat."  
He decided, most likely out of lack of anything else to do and the fact that teenage boys thought through their stomach.

Reaching numbly into his fridge, he pulled out milk. Reaching numbly into his cupboard, he pulled out cereal.

Cocoa Pops it is then.

As he sat on the couch, eating his chocolaty, and very early, breakfast. He began thinking. What was it that was coming up in his life soon…?  
Hmm, there was that big mission, only C rank but it'd take about 3 weeks to get there and back. Plus it was Tenten-chan's birthday soon! He obviously wasn't invited to a party or anything (he couldn't help but think that a girls only sleep over was just plan rejection) but he still wanted to do something for her. Maybe something a little bit less 'youthful' than last years cake in the shape of Gai-sensei.

Or maybe not, he grinned at the idea of a bigger and better youthful present.  
There was something else…

"GAH!" Lee jumped remembering. "That dance Sakura-chan said was happening! Gah!" Lee put his bowl back onto the table and ran to his room. Rummaging through his closet he found his old tuxedo. It'd only been worn once about a year ago for another event he couldn't quite recall. Checking over his suit, he found some small rips and dirt stains still there, causing him to sweat-drop.

Oh right, the sake thing.

Shaking his thoughts away he went and changed out of his pyjamas and into his tuxedo. Taking a look at himself in the mirror, he gave a relieved sigh as he saw it still fit. He chuckled at himself and how swanky he looked, mucking around with posing and such.

"Ah!" he dawned on a realisation for the second time that evening, bringing his fist down to his open palm. "My cereal."

As he sat out in his living room, munching and contemplating how much of a staple food cereal was in a teenagers diet, there came a knock on his door. He looked up curiously, who would be visiting him at one in the morning (he had learnt from experience that most people didn't like being disturbed around midnight.) Walking to the door, cocoa pops still in hand, he opened it to come face to face with…

"Hm, Hinata-san?" He could only look at her for a second before she tackled him in a hug, wetting his shirt with her tears. "Ah, what wrong Hinata-chan?" he asked, holding his cereal bowl to the side and subconsciously switching to a friendlier honorific.

"L-Lee-san! F-father was m-mad and N-Neji-nii-san's n-not here a-and N-Naruto left a-and I c-can't go back home, I d-didn't know wh-where…" the girl sobbed into his chest. Lee awkwardly stroked the Hyuuga's hair.

"D-demo Hinata-chan, you can stay here tonight if you want," he said. Hinata stepped back and looked up slightly to him.

"R-really?" Lee nodded.

"Sure Hinata-chan! You can always come to me!" he assured her happily. The blunette stared at him for a second before bursting out laughing and hugging him again, but this time more friendly than desperate.

"Arigato Lee-san, you're the only friend I-I can go to a-and find eating cereal in a tuxedo at one o'clock in the morning, wh-who will still take me in." she said with a smile.

"Hm?" Lee looked at her. "Oh right! I can explain that, Hina-chan!" he said sheepishly. Hinata let go and giggled, no longer crying.

"It's alright Lee-kun," she smiled and let go of him, allowing him to step back so she could enter.

"I'll set you up a spare bed eh, Hinata-san." Lee said. The Hyuuga nodded and looked away.

"Ano," she said quietly. "I don't mind if you keep calling me 'Hina-chan,' Lee-kun." She told him quietly. The boy smiled.

"Okie dokie Hina-chan!" he replied happily. "Help yourself to some more cereal if you want any! Bowls are on the counter!" The pale eyed girl smiled and took a seat on the couch, looking around the room. Lee soon came back out, changed back into his pyjamas and holding something equally soft and pastel green.

"Eh, Hina-chan, did you bring any pyjamas?" Lee asked, cocking his head. Hinata looked surprised, before scrambling to look in her small bag, similar to the one Neji used now.

"Um, I think I forgot them, " she replied, blushing sheepishly.

"Don't worry, you can just borrow some of mine!" he answered, thrusting a spare pair of pastel green pyjamas into her arms, identical to the ones he had on. "There's a bathroom over there to get changed in." he pointed out the door to their right. She nodded and took the clothes into the bathroom. Lee heard the lock click closed and decided to return to his room.  
A few minutes later, Hinata popped her head around the door of the bedroom.

"Lee-kun?" she ventured nervously. He looked up at the Hyuuga.

"Hinata-chan, those look cute on you!" he said, blushing slightly.

"Kyaa!" Hinata faltered, flushing a brilliant red. "Ano, th-th-thank y-you Lee-kun" she stuttered out with a smile. "W-we should sleep n-now Lee-san," she suggested meekly, climbing onto the bed.

"Okay then Hinata-chan!" he said, flicking off the lights. "Oyasumi nasai!" he said cheerfully.

"Oyasumi nasai…" she repeated sleepily, half asleep already. It wasn't hard to when she was laying in those soft, warm, pastel green flannel pyjamas…


	3. Run Lee, Run by Venny9o6

**Title:** Run Lee, Run  
**Author:** Venny9o6  
**Rating:** PG ( K+ )  
**Challenge:** Greener Pastures  
**Pairing:** LeeHina

We ask that you PLEASE refrain from reviewing this story here. If you would like to do so, the original is posted in Venny9o6's personal DeviantArt profile.

Timeline: Set pre-rookie nine. Naruto's class is still in the academy, but the class above them (Lee, Neji, Tenten) is already graduated.

Hinata had always known that the ninja life wasn't for her; she was as weak as a deflated pool toy, as durable as a trampled flower, and she couldn't throw a metal star to save her life. Yet she found, quite accidentally with a sense of pleasant shock, that she truly did have a calling on her grandmother's farm. She was still too slow to tend or harvest the crop, but she was a miracle worker when it came to animals.

So for thirty days of each summer when she and her sister Hanabi and her cousin Neji were sent to their grandmother's for the month, Hinata was called to milk the cows as needed, feed and water the horses, cows, pigs, goats, chickens, and dogs daily, and gather eggs from the field that the chickens roamed freely throughout the day. Whenever an animal was injured and required first aid, Hinata was the one who held it still. If a female was giving birth, Hinata was there to deliver the young.

It wasn't as if she disliked any of these chores – just being able to do them properly was a blessing all its own – but before each day was over she was ready to drop from exhaustion. In fact, as soon as she was done with her chores for the next few hours, she did just that, plopping down in a nice shady spot next to the barn and closing her eyes for a light nap. The sun had been high overhead all afternoon, clearing away all clouds and filling the land with a sweltering heat. Birds chirped from perches in treetops, crickets sung from the creek down hill, horses neighed, cows mooed, pigs grunted... and a goat nibbled on the sleeve of her white button up.

Her eyes opened a crack to see that it was Blackberry, the only black kid born that year who happened to be the most gentle and affectionate as well. But what surprised Hinata was the second face staring down at her from above with a determined set to his bushy brow and concern in his round eyes. He was wearing a green jumpsuit, she noted with amused curiosity. "Lee-san?" she addressed her cousin's teammate.

"Are you alright, Hinata-san? I was just on my way to visit my rival when I saw you leaning against the barn, and I thought you may be unconscious!" he explained, making unnecessary gestures as he spoke.

A reassuring smile lifted her lips as she slowly shook her head. "No. Just resting. But Neji..." she began before trailing off, not knowing how to say 'He hates your guts' in a kind way.

"Is he gone right now?" Lee crossed his arms and turned away in thought. "If it is not too much trouble I would like to wait for him here until he returns."

"No, that's not it. He's inside but... um... he doesn't want to be disturbed."

"Hm. I see."

A few moments passed, but Lee continued to stand there, staring in the direction of the house with a thoughtful hand on his chin. When it looked like he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, Hinata decided it was best to indulge the older boy with polite conversation. "Ano, that's an interesting suit..." The eloquence could have made her smack herself.

"You think so too?" he beamed, turning back to face her with his hands on his hips to flourish the outfit. "Gai-sensei just gave it to me! I decided to deliver an offering of one just like it for Neji as well, since my rival's favorite color is green. It was all Gai-sensei's idea!"

Hinata stared at him blankly and wiped the sweat from her brow, deciding not to give her input. Truth be told, she knew well how her cousin would react to an offer to wear that thing. Not that it was ugly, per say. Actually, it was very befitting of the zealous boy. But Neji? Never. "Tha-that's very... thoughtful of him."

"Onee-san! Ogen-obaasama says to clean out Bracken and Elijah's stalls!" Hanabi called across the yard from the porch of the house.

Brows creasing, Hinata called back, "Hanabi-chan, don't you always cleans the stalls?"

"I can't! Sparky bit my hand and now I have to keep it bandaged so it won't get infected!"

Sighing, the Hyuuga heiress stood up slowly and brushed her shorts off, pushing on Blackerry's head when he nudged her leg. "I have to go," she said to Lee, walking around to the entrance of the barn resignedly, but he followed her.

"I'll help you," he offered. "You seem very tired, and it would not be noble for a man to ignore a woman in need when he has the power to do something. Yosh!"

Hinata blinked. Considering that he referred to them as "man" and "woman" she deduced that he must have picked up that particular moral from Gai. "Okay... Thank you."

Once inside, she handed him a shovel and showed him to Elijah's stall (which was already empty, since the horse was grazing in the field), instructing him to scoop all the piles of dung into a wheelbarrow. Meanwhile, Hinata took Bracken out of her stall and walked her outside before returning with a second shovel. She wouldn't make him clean up after Bracken, who was probably the messiest horse her grandmother owned. However, she was beyond shocked to see that Lee was working faster than lightening and was already almost done with his assignment.

"L-Lee-san, you don't have to go so-so fast. Slow down a little," she said, though she was really just a little peeved because she hadn't even started yet. Somehow she had taken pride in her barn chores when she had no pride in anything else she'd ever done, and this was killing it.

"I'm afraid I must decline!" he replied obstinately. "When I am given a task I do not think of my own comfort, but of doing the best job imaginable as swiftly as possible!"

Well... she couldn't say no to that. "Okay, I guess. When you're done let me know and I'll get the broom out of the shed for you." With that she turned to her own task.

As Hinata was shoveling a large pile of horse poop in one corner that had been building up, Hanabi popped up from inside the stall next to it, draping herself over the side and staring down at her older sister. "Onee-san, why is that guy here?" she asked, eying him skeptically.

"He's here for Neji-nissan," Hinata answered, hearing her sister scoff instantly.

"What would nii-san want with that clown? He's got 'rainbow' written all over him."

"Hanabi-chan! That isn't nice. He isn't a clown just because he actually helps out instead of only thinking of himself," she defended in a low voice, so Lee wouldn't overhear.

The younger girl raised her brows, then lowered her chin to the bar she was holding onto and grinned. "You like him, don't you," she bated. Hinata stumbled and looked up incredulously, making Hanabi grin wider. "Oh, I knew it! You do! What will Neji say!"

"Hanabi-chan, stop! I don't like him – n-not in the way that you mean! I mean he's nice and he's a good friend, and..." she trailed off, realizing that her face had reddened in her embarrassment and quickly turned away, pointedly ignoring her teasing sister in favor of continuing her work.

"Don't worry, onee-san. You know I'd never tell Neji," Hanabi sighed, rolling her eyes. "Just grandma."

"Hanabi-chan!"

Unbeknowest to the older girl, Lee had set down his shovel and was making his way across the barn to Bracken's stall. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, Hanabi beat him to the punch. "Hello mister muscle-head!" Hinata jumped. "Need a broom? Hinata's your gal! Need a bride? Hina – "

"Hanabi-chan!" the flustered girl exclaimed, whirling around and smiling apologetically at Lee before giving her sister a stern look. "Nee-chan, since you aren't doing anything else right now, why don't you unlock the shed for him."

The younger girl pouted, hopped over the stall to land soundly on her feet, and dragged the poor green clad boy away by his shirt. Hinata sighed, glad for the peace, and got back to work. Unfortunately, that peace was short lived, for as soon as Lee was set up with a broom in Elijah's stall, Hanabi returned to her perch with a carefully blank face.

"Onee-san, I think that guy has rats in his skull."

"Now what makes you say that?"

"Because they're practically bursting from his eyebrows, and I could swear he only has half a brain; the rats must be eating it."

Hinata paused and took a deep, schooling breath, before looking up at her sister with weary conviction. "If you don't have anything nice to say, Hanabi-chan, you might as well not speak at all because I'm not listening," she scolded lightly. The girl fell silent, lips pursing slightly, so Hinata went back to what she was doing. When Lee finished sweeping Elijah's stall, he took up his shovel and came over to Bracken's to help her.

In the stall behind Hanabi, the cream and gray colored stallion that had been napping in a corner rose up and approached the small girl. She glanced over her shoulder and glared coldly. "Sparky, if you bite me again, I'll stop your heart," she warned in a low, menacing tone. The stallion flipped it's tail, neighed quietly, and walked back to the other end of the stall. Satisfied, Hanabi hopped to the ground and strutted out of the barn.

"Your sister is really scary sometimes," Lee laughed nervously.

Hinata smiled. "She can be," she lamented. "But... she's actually very sweet, when she wants to be."

"Ah! Just like Neji!" Lee exclaimed with fiery eyes. Hinata sweat-dropped, wondering when her cousin ever showed a sweet side, no less to someone as loud and overbearing as Lee. But it was a nice revelation, regardless, because it was a side she liked to believe that everyone possessed, whether or not they showed it to the world.

As her 'helper' was going for the last pile of dung in Bracken's stall, Hinata set her shovel aside and grabbed the broom from the center aisle, where Lee had left it when he came over, before he had a chance. There was only one broom, and she would never live it down if she let him have the last of her chore. Well... technically it was Hanabi's chore. But who was counting anyway?

The green clad genin opened his mouth to speak when she began sweeping, but closed it reluctantly when she gave him a determined look, smiling. Positive energy seemed to radiate off of him, as it always did, and Hinata found her own lips curling up in turn at spotting that contagious grin. "Lee-san," she began, slowing her pace a little in thought.

"Yes?"

"Are you and Neji-nissan... good friends?" she asked slowly, inwardly wondering if this was a safe subject to touch. It was nosy of her.

Seemingly oblivious to her musings, Lee nodded and crossed his arms. "Out of all the people I know, I believe Neji is my best friend. Although he doesn't always show it, I can tell that he genuinely cares for the people around him, even the ones he ridicules like myself," he explained, nodding his head periodically as he spoke.

Her ears piqued at this, hope welling up inside her at the prospect of him caring about her as well, though it wasn't likely. "What does he act like? W-when he seems to c-care." She felt awkward, which was only natural considering she was virtually invading her cousin's privacy behind his back. But she wanted to know. It was hard living with someone who utterly hated her guts.

Lee was silent, watching her for a moment. "You two don't get along very well, do you?"

She shook her head and looked down, focusing on her task.

"Has he ever smiled at you?"

Taken aback, Hinata shrugged. "Not really. Not since we were little anyway," she mumbled. Now she regretted opening her fat mouth. Talking about herself was low on her list of comforts, especially when the topic pertained to deep rooted family issues. Lee seemed to take the hint by her changed mannerisms and quieted, to her relief.

When both stalls were fairly clean, the feces were disposed of, tools put away, and Bracken returned to her stall, the two young teens walked out of the barn together and walked toward the house. Lee mindlessly prattled on about some recent exciting mission while Hinata just listened, secretly entertained by his outrageous body language more than what he had to say. They paused in front of the porch while he demonstrated a series of difficult looking kicks and twirls, her giggling into her hand.

Until they heard the front door creak open.

"Lee..."

Both turned, spirits falling harshly back to earth as Neji came into view, clad in a pair of faded jean overalls and a straw hat on his head to block the sun, not to mention the most venomous scowl Hinata had ever seen in her life. She shivered with fright. Lee smiled and waved enthusiastically.

"Lee, what the hell are you doing with my cousin?" the Hyuuga boy drawled icily, and very gradually realization dawned on the bushy browed teen, face falling. His smile disappeared completely, however, when Neji pulled out a twelve caliber automatic rifle from behind the wall and aiming it as he stepped fully out of the house, the door swinging shut behind him.

Hinata's eyes widened to unimaginable size as she saw this. "N-nii-san, wait!" she pleaded, taking a ginger step foreword. But just as she was doing this Lee released a loud "YOSH!" and turned tail, taking up an impossibly fast sprint in the opposite direction.

"Lee! Get your trespassing ass back here!" Neji hollered as he slung the rifle over his shoulder and followed after, brushing right past his distressed cousin as if he didn't see her.

Hinata wanted to scream with frustration as she glanced between the house and their retreating forms. Someone could seriously get hurt. Was this normal for them? Just as she was ready to give up and go back inside, Hanabi appeared, grinning deviously in the doorway and offered her sister a wave. "Hi, onee-san."

Her brows shot up in realization and her heart began pounding rapidly in the cage of her chest. Had she...? Unable to take it anymore, Hinata spun on her heel and raced for the barn to grab sparky out of his stall, as it was her only chance of catching up in time to intervene. So what if riding bareback hurt her thighs and rump a bit. Okay, a lot. The near future of Lee might have been depending on her, and she wasn't about to let him down now!

Two loud shots rang through the air and Hinata jumped. Deciding it imminent to forgo reins as well, she used the bars of the stall to climb on top of her favorite horse, grabbing a good handful of his thick silver mane and urging him foreword into a brisk trot out of the barn. As they passed the house Hanabi grinned and shouted, "Good luck, onee-san!" in an overly delighted voice.

So much for being sweet.

The End


	4. Analyzing the Meaning by purpleLights

**Title:** Analyzing the Meaning  
**Author: **purpleLights  
**Rating:** PG ( K+ )  
**Challenge:** Greener Pastures  
**Pairing:** LeeHina

We ask that you PLEASE refrain from reviewing this story here. If you would like to do so, the original is posted in purpleLight's personal DeviantArt profile.

-

_There was no up or down, nor left or right. She was just there. No existence. No feeling._

Floating in an amaranthine of darkness. Losing strength, she felt her body go into catatonic. She gave no fight, showed no resistance to the coldness now seeping through her bones. Everything was coming to an end; and as always, she did nothing to prevent it.

Dimly, through her half-lidded eyes, she saw what looked a silver mirror. It was the length and width of her body--but there was no reflection, at least, not hers. What was in the mirror was a closed window, with its curtains on the floor. The window means that she has shut herself out, and is afraid to venture to new things because of past failures, disappointments. The blinds show that she welling to try new things, or make things she bad at good; but a possibility that her shy nature will make her form a shell again.

The images shifted upon herself, bloodied up, clothes ripped, and a wary, tired body. But not defeated. Her eyes feel held a fierce determination, that if her body wasn't numb she would have moved away.

Another shift in the image, but it is neither a person or object. It is a color. A warm green color.

Green. She knows somebody green. And the mirror, as though heard her thought, the green expanded into the figure of a person. She feels irritated, there's a nagging feeling that she should _know but can't remember. The nostalgia came, but left without giving her a name or face._

The stiffness that once controlled her body, left. Tentatively, she placed her hand upon the soft surface, and it moved horizontally and extended its length to a place she didn't know of.

As she walked to the path--which changed from silver to gray,-- warmth began to circulate throughout her body. Maybe the place she was headed to was kinder than the reflection she faced?

White. Everything was white: from the tile on the floor, to the ceiling, the curtain that separated her from the other occupant in the room, the wall color, and even the pillow behind her head and the sheet that covered her... was white. Besides the lack of color, there was a pristine smell in the room; everything smelt clean. It was a place she knew too well.

Hinata'seyes widen when she figured out where she was at: the hospital.

...How did she get there?

_"Are you all lapdogs to the main Hyuuga branch?" Neji sneered at the Jounin that held him back from delivering another fatal blow to his cousin._

Now she remembered, the chunin exams, her cousin had wanted to kill -- no add to the already critical hit she'd received from him.

"Ah, hello. I'm glad to see that you're awake now." Startled, Hinata turned towards the sound of the voice to see a medic nin smiling at her.

"O-Ohayo," Hinata greeted. "H-How long-g was I-I out-t?"

"Oh, for 10 days or so," the medic walked over to Hinata and took the chart hanging from the edge of her bed and checked it over. " Yup, you gave us quite a scare. You were the second-worse case we had from the Chunin exams, since... I don't know, a year?"

Second-worse? Hinata thought. She was pretty sure that her condition was bad if it took her that amount of time to recover. If she was second, -- not like she wanted to be second worse case in a hospital, anyway -- who'd won first?

"Alright," the medic, whose name Hinata didn't get, or didn't pay attention to, said. "Now that you're awake, lets get you a check up, okay?" She said with a soft smile.

Inwardly, Hinata groaned; this was a process she was too familiar with.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was a few more days afterwards before she was allowed to walk around. It had took her some hours to get used to using her legs again, but it seems that the determination she had in the Chunin exams wasn't lost.

Hinatadecided she wanted to go outside, one, for the fresh air; and two, the flowers. And besides, being cooped up in a hospital for days wasn't fun, and she needed exercise. She felt conten in the lush, dark green fields with the burtsof color from the different flora there. So, it seemed unnatural for something white to be in a field of green.

And was it moving...?

Slowly, she made her way to anomaly, to find one of her cousin's teammate, Rock Lee.

"O-Ohay-yo, Lee-san,"

"Oyaho, Hinata-san, I've just finished my third rep of sit ups!" Lee greeted, and gave her a bright smile, but the 'pang' wasn't as bright as she remembered.

"How are you feeling, Hinata-san?" Lee question brought Hinata out from her musing.

"G-Good. I-I should-d be able to l-leave in a f-few days," she watched as Lee nodded, and had noticed what Lee was wearing were hospitalal robes. "A-Ano, L-Lee-san, how did-d you get t-to the h-hospita-al?"

After the question left her lips she regretted asking, seeing how Lee's face showed a melancholy that sharply contrasted to the vibrant person she'd know him to be.

"Y-You don't-t ha-ave to answer."

"No. It's alright, Hinata-san. My match was after yours, and my opponent was Gaara of the Sand. I lost... and I may never be able to be a ninja again."

The Hyuuga really hated how her stomach twitched, and how her heart sanked. There was a awkward silence, that neither one of them know how to dissipate.

Since it was her question that brought this silence, Hinata felt that it was her responsibility to get rid of it.

"D-Don't worry-y, Lee-san. I'm-m s-sure you'll o-overcome t-this." She squeaked and poked her index fingers together in embarrassment.

Lee face brighten up. "Yosh! You're right, Hinata-san. I'll just have to keep on training so when I return I can work even harder!"

Hinata, nodded, a smile on her face. "Green-n s-suits yo-ou, Lee-san."

"Huh?"

"Green m-means renewal and-d h-health."

Green was somehow the only color she could imagine on Lee.


	5. The Might of Color by akaiichigo

**Title:** The Might of Color  
**Author:** akaiichigo  
**Rating:** PG ( K+ )  
**Challenge:** Greener Pastures  
**Pairing:** LeeHina

We ask that you PLEASE refrain from reviewing this story here. If you would like to do so, the original is posted right here on ff. net in akaiichigo's personal profile.

The Forest A2 Restoration Committee, which was unofficially dubbed the 'Scrap Pack' by Kiba and Naruto, were spread around upon the vast, charred land.

Everyone had non-tearing bags in their hand, and some wore proper clothing like boots, thick gloves, goggles, and face masks for safety measures.

Kakashi-sensei, for the protection of his already infamous mask, had placed a clean white medical mask over the other. Some marveled at his breathing capabilities. It must be sweaty and moist there, on his face, especially when the midday sun was blaring down onto the Committee. It was unusually hot at this time in spring.

He takes an icy water bottle, uncaps it with a flick of the wrist, and takes a couple swigs, leaving the bottle already half gone. Sighs of disappointment were exhaled around Forest A2. His back was the only thing he exposed as his body was turned away when he pulled his mask down and drank that cold elixir. At least, for the women, he was shirtless.

A few paces over, Kiba was muttering to himself as he stuffed his bag full of burnt wood, Naruto beside him was stuffing his own bag with a grin, "What are you smiling about?"

Naruto let out a scratchy chuckle, "Heh, I'm just glad."

"Psh, glad that we're in mandatory burnt scrap packing?"

"Nooo," he elongated the word as he held up his plastic bag to show Kiba. "When'ver I end up with these restoration/cleaning missions I always get so mad when my bag tears. And now the Old Lady recalled with these non-tearables, isn't that great?" Naruto's grin grew, "I don't get mad anymore, I'm glad!"

Kiba's nose twitched, "Right."

Naruto twisted the top and set his full bag down in a pile and looked about his fellow shinobi and friends around the area. He let out a tired huff and said, "Looks so sad, though, huh? So black and depressing."

"Yeah, fire does that to a forest. So ugly and desolate."

Naruto sniggered, "Like the one who started all this."

Kiba's eyes lit up and he smirked as both boys turned their heads towards the middle of the sectioned forest. He wasn't too far, so he heard what had just been said.

"Why'd you try to burn the training ground down, huh, teme!" Naruto unnecessarily pointed at him.

Sasuke purposefully ignored them and continued shoveling black ash into a heap before scooping and placing them into a bag.

"Is this how Uchihas do makeovers?" Kiba piped up. "Itachi-sempai looks great with receding hairline," a snort and a snigger from both boys, "and the unibrow looks great on you."

They exploded in laughter and a low growl was eminent as Sasuke sent them dark daggers of doom.

"Oh no, Sasuke," Naruto let out as he held his stomach in one arm and wiped a tear from his eye with the other; he was liking such reaction from him. "Such black personality suits you!"

The Uchiha was instantly temporarily forgotten as pink and blond covered Kiba and Naruto's eyesight.

"Sasuke's personality isn't black!" Ino huffed.

Sakura, with her arms crossed, agreed, "Yeah, he more likely has a red personality!"

Kiba scowled at the interruption. He was just starting to have fun ever since the restoration mission started this morning, and now these girls were spurting nonsense, "The hell?"

The two girls turned to each other, "Red. Red like fire!"

Ino nodded, "And passion, and strength!" Both she and Sakura started walking back towards their stations, talking about how 'hot' the color red just is, and seemingly forgetting their task at defending Sasuke from those two loud, male idiots who were also left forgotten.

Sakura pulled some stray strands away from her face as she readjusted her short ponytail. "I personally like pink," she grinned. "Y'know, it compliments red. It's like the feminine red, so perfect for Sasuke."

Ino rolled her eyes. Biased. "Well, I really like the color yellow. It's light and enthusiastic. Plus, it's a happy color; it'll make Sasuke happy," she sniffed proudly as she picked up her shovel.

Sakura also took hold of her shovel and refrained from commenting on her best friend's bias choice of color, so she instead turns to the girl working diligently behind them and called out, "Oi, Hinata. What's your favorite color?"

The girl stopped her work and faced Sakura and Ino, she looked and both girls and then her eyes dropped to the ground. "I don't have a favorite color," she said slowly.

Sakura and Ino stared at the girl in front of them, her voice was muffled behind the thick fabric of her face mask and she was twiddling her fingers beneath thick and oversized working gloves. She finally looked up at the two girls as she pulled her mask down so she could speak to them properly.

Shock of their friend having no favorite color was instantly gone when their competitive wiles came about and each girl tried to convince that one of their favorite colors was better than the other.

"Pink, Hinata, pink! It's cute and girly and--"

"No way. Yellow—no, white is more like Hinata! It's clean, and it's pure."

"No," a deep voice said. "White is an irony in itself. White is winter, and winter is death."

The girls looked at the newcomer and shivered at Neji's dramatic cold stare.

TenTen came over and tugged at Neji's ponytail, "Only your winter-cold personality kills people, Neji."

"Orange!" Naruto and Kiba walked over, curious as to what's going on since they were left ignored. "Or pink!" Sakura gave him a glare and he held a hand out defensively, "No, I meant pink like the swirl of a naruto!"

Kiba nudged Hinata in the shoulder, "What about copper-red, hm, Hina?"

Chouji came strolling by from another snack break and decided to join in on the color argument and proudly said, "Brown."

Sakura wrinkled her nose and disgust and asked, "Brown, why brown? That's so muddy and dirty."

"No, like barbeque sauce," and after that the small group stared at him dead panned.

As Chouji walked away, Shikamaru came up behind him and commented, "What he meant to say is that it's an earth tone." His voice was low and bored, "Ya know, natural."

Hinata blushed furiously as Shikamaru stepped close to her and allowed his fingers to feel the texture of the hair that framed her face. "Hm," he breathed lightly, "but mysterious indigo is more like it."

Neji bristled at his closeness to his Hinata-sama.

"Gray."

The alluring bass of a voice reverberated around the group, causing everyone to pause a bit to relish and let it sink in. Until Kiba's palm shot out and smacked Shino dead on the side of his head, yelling, "Gray is unsuitable for her, weren't you thinking!"

Sai stepped over and observed Hinata, "If I were to paint her portrait I'd use standard black ink on white pristine parchment. Black and white for contrast and abstract. Perfect for her enigmatic dull qualit--"

Sakura and TenTen gasped as Ino clutched Hinata tightly, trying to cover her poor ears, "Hinata is not dull!"

"That is not what I meant," Sai calmly told them and silently watched as Sasuke passed him to walk over towards Hinata.

Hinata gulped as she felt her face and neck heat up when Sasuke loomed over her and stoop down so his eyes would be leveled with hers, almost nose to nose. She could see his charred left eyebrow; she smiled inwardly when she noticed little hairs growing back. Sasuke and Itachi-sempai liked to train a lot, but yesterday's session had gone awry, which caused Forest A2 to be burned down. And Sasuke was left with the blame of all the mess and dead plants.

"Lavender," he observed quietly, and was instantly pulled away when Neji grabbed his shoulder with a glare.

Naruto let out a loud 'heehee'. "Doesn't that mean Neji has those girly colored eyes, too?"

Neji whipped around, letting go of Sasuke to jab Naruto hard on the sternum, saying menacingly, "Lavender is a shade of purple. And purple has been signifying quality, wealth, power, and royalty for centuries. Do not defile the true meaning of the eye color of the Hyuugas."

As the arguing voices rose, Hinata was left forgotten at the center of the whole Forrest A2 cleaning party who were surrounding her like a giant donut.

"Lovely, Hinata!"

In a flash and flurry, Hinata was pulled away by warm hands on her gloves. She spun around like in a dance until she was securely away from the arguing group, her gloved hands lightly landing on a green-clad chest.

She looked up and smiled lightly at the kind and welcoming grin of her rescuer, "Thank you, Lee."

Lee made a sweeping bow, "No problem, Shining Light!" He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her in a rather dramatic seriousness, "Hinata, if I may suggest a color for you to favor."

Oh, no, not him too? Hinata thought. But before she could say anything, Lee grabbed one gloved hand of hers into his and pulled her further away from the group and over and under some burnt trees until they came upon a section of Forest A2 that has not been touched and cleaned yet. It was a very sad sight. Against the light blue sky, the trees were bare and charred, and the forest floor was a mess of debris, dirt, and ash. Still holding her had, Lee searched a series of patchwork on the ground here and there.

"At this distance from the stray jutsu Sasuke-san had made, the fire couldn't reach the ground anymore. The horrible mess down on this ground is just remnants from the trees above," Lee was telling her quite informatively, and Hinata was listening with intrigue. "But even the plants that live down here cannot live when they're being suffocated by this thick ash of unfortune!"

Lee let go of her hand and jogged over to a light patch of ash. Before Hinata could question what he's doing, Lee fell into a fighting stance and made a low sweep of his leg towards an invisible enemy. His leg swung around lowly and picked up pace until a slight gust of a tornado blew past her. When she felt it safe, Hinata opened here eyes and found Lee gesturing her to come over.

When she came close, Lee took her hand again and pulled her down onto the ground. Hinata gasped when she saw little stems with tiny round leaves peeking out from a small layer of ash.

"These plants survived," Hinata whispered with awe. Lee grinned at the shine of her eyes and watched as she carefully swept some ash away from the tiny plants with her still gloved hands.

"Hinata-hime, these plants represent perseverance through life: they still bud with determined greenery even when clouded by dark forces!"

Hinata smiled at this, she had been worried about the nature life of the forest ever since arriving at training ground Forest A2 this morning. She didn't blame Sasuke like the other boys had joked about, but she was still saddened at what damage fire can do.

"In the dark world of shinobi we live in, we need great balance. With water and earth we can survive, but fire is still helpful to restore the balance of life and death. But the mighty flourish of green plants are often forgotten as the peacemaker in that balance!" Tears started to appear in his eyes as he was in a roll in his speech, "Plants grow, live, and die with strength. It is the essence of the springtime of youth, infinitely!"

A comfortable silence settled between them, which was odd because nothing was comfortable after a loud dialogue from Lee. But it was Hinata Lee was with, so all is alright.

"Green is a beautiful color," Hinata then smiled delightfully and looked up to her friend. "It is the color of a healthy life."

Just then they heard the shuffling footsteps of their forgotten group of friends as they entered the clearing where they were. Someone asked, "What're you guys doing here?" But Lee was too preoccupied by the shine of appreciation in Hinata's eyes and he grabbed a gloved hand in both of his and declared loudly:

"Yes, Fair Princess! That is the might of the color green!"

Back at the cleaning sight, Kakashi sets another finished bottle of water down on the ground. He turns around, masks pulled down onto his neck, "Hm? Where'd everyone go?"


End file.
